Elisabethsew

Most MDs only check ferritin, iron, and iron saturation if the hemaglobin/hematocrit are abnormal so it's not part of routine blood work. If you get yearly check-ups with your medical MD, you could ask to have it done.

Many hematologists are oncologists. I don't absorb iron and have to see him weekly for 8 visits to get intravenous iron dextran so don't worry about seeing him/her.

I don't know how much weight you needed to lose but 20 pounds lost since 9/08 does not sound like it got you to your goal weight. Another fill when you're already vomiting does not sound like a good idea.

Welcome. Yes, titanium staples are the standard of care for all surgeons. You'll find a lot of useful info. here and made a good choice in WLS options.

You EARNED the right to wear a 2 piece! Go for it! Have you been to the beach and seen some of the women wearing a 2 piece let alone a bikini? It's NOT a pretty picture in a lot of cases. LOL.

Healing is complete in 99% of patients at 4-6 weeks. My hair thinned out a lot about a 18 months after I got the band and it turned out I had hypothyroidism. Synthroid solved that problem but I only got to the right dose 2 months ago. You should ask your MD to check your ferritin level to see if you have iron deficiency anemia. My hemaglobin was always great so nobody ever checked mine. My cardiologist did and found my iron saturation to be 4% (should be over 15%). After a GI and hematology consult, it was determined I don't absorb iron. I get it intravenously as needed. Are you taking vitamins? You should be taking a B-complex and a multi in the least. I take a prescribed B6, B12, folate combination.

LOL. Isn't it strange how people tell you to lose weight and then think you'll perish when you eat less? My colleague at work told me I was not eating enough (one of two people who know I had the surgery) and I told her I could easily live off my own fat for a year! LOL.

I don't know your surgeon but I got back to my room in the late afternoon after surgery. By 6 AM the next day, I had walked all over the place, showered, washed, and blowed my hair, and felt only slight pain.

I'm willing to answer any of his questions. I'm a critical care RN (for too many years - lol) so I'm used to questions. As for your progress, why not do monthly anniversary pictures. It gives him something to look forward to and you something to share.

Have you looked into other surgeons? WASA can fill you in on Pleatman. Mac had a great surgeon and she's in your neck of the woods.

Excellent! It's funny how we stress out about what others might think only to find they couldn't care less.

Tonight is my "test run" for a first dinner out. My niece is getting her RN pin and we're going to dinner before the ceremony. This time, it's all family! They know I am always trying to lose weight so I plan to follow the same routine as for lunch.... no bread/butter, skip the appetizer, spread the entree around the plate (thanks, WASA), and take a taste of someone elses dessert. I'm also going to skip lunch and just have a soy slender drink so my stomach is as empty as I can get it. LOL.

About how much protein to you take in per day? I don't come close to 60-70 grams/day but my blood work is all normal and I feel fine.

I'm almost 6 weeks post-op. If he'd like to email or talk to any of us who have been through it, I'd be happy to answer any questions. Tell him this surgery is much easier than the banding and unlike banding, THIS surgery you have and then you're done. With the band, you're condemned to fills, unfills, and complications.

Excellent point! Alas, this body will NOT be displayed in a 2 piece this summer. I think if I did appear in a 2 piece, I'd clear the beach out... hmmmmmm... private beach! LOL.

I am sooooooooooo happy for you! The time will be here before you know it.

The band never worked for me. I never felt restriction and I suffered from horrible heart burn and acid reflux. I'm loving the sleeve. I felt restriction the day after surgery when I took my first sip of fluids and can now eat anything I want but in waaaaaaaay smaller portions. I highly recommend it. Who is dling your surgery?

I've been on an unrestricted diet since 5/2 and today was my first time having lunch out with friends I have not seen in a few months. They picked a place where you basically could get anything to eat... a restaurant chain called Franks Steaks or Steakhouse. They all ordered an appetizer and I passed. I worried they would ask why I passed but nope, the conversation just flowed. I don't eat beef/pork/lamb so I went to the seafood part of the menu and selected broiled flounder. It was a small piece that came with 2 baked clams, a ton of rice pilaf, and broccoli. Everyone else ordered steak (duh! it was a steak place - lol). I ate nearly all the fish, passed on the clams, and could not eat the rice or broccoli. The rice I scattered on the plate. Again, I worried something would be said about me leaving so much food but we were so busy chatting that I don't think they noticed. The last step was dessert. I ordered coffee and said I was too full for a whole dessert but would sample from others. They all ordered a dessert and I took a taste of the cobbler (teaspoon) and the same amount of one other dessert and then nursed my coffee. It took me the same amount of time to eat as it did everyone else but I ate less. WASA gave me the hint about moving stuff around on the plate so it made it look like I ate more and that worked. The conversation and being with friends is what took center stage. I worried needlessly.

Being allergice to milk, the soy slender really got me through to the soft diet phase. I still have that for lunch when I'm on the run.

This might be a little off the topic but, here goes. My father suffered a stroke on his BD secondary to a mid-cerebral artery bleed (MCA). Obviously, he was in a lot of pain. The entire time he never lost consciousness and was not confused. He did lose peripheral vision in one eye but otherwise, made a full recovery. The second night in the hospital, he was still complaining of a headache (normal complaint with a hemmoragic stroke) and asked me to find the Indian. This seemed strange to me so I engaged him in conversation to test his orientation and find out what he meant. In the ER, an MD from India did see him so I assumed he wanted that MD. My father told me know, that was not the Indian he meant. He was referring to an American Indian. He told me an American Indian came into the room he was in while in the ER and stood at his head. He extended his hands over my Dad's face and head without touching him and a blue light flashed through his body taking the pain away. My Dad converted from Protestant to Catholic when he married my mother (required back then). He attended mass every Sunday but was not what I consider to be very religious. Interestingly, we are part Cherokee indian but that was never even mentioned as we grew up. My father lived with no problems for another 5 years but never wavered in his belief of the accuracy of what happened to him when he was in that ER room. Some might say this was an endorphin response to the pain. The pain increased after this but he never again repeated that experience. He was in an explosion whenhe was a young man (I was 7) and had a large area of his body burned (hospitalized for 2 months) which was more painful than the stroke and he never had this experience or one like it. I do believe there is something greater than me but am not religious. I would be interested in hearing your pastor's view on near death experiences. Yes, I do know science has it's own theory.

It might have been food poisoning. Hours of GI problems after a bowl of soup sounds like more than dairy problems. I didn't go out to eat anywhere until the end of the soft phase of the diet. I did well with tomato soup that I added half a can of skim milk to and half a can of water to. The potato soup was probably made with cream. You can have oatmeal cereal for breakfast. Since I was born allergic to milk, I have to be careful with the amount of dairy I consume. Cheese is not as bad for me as milk. I hope you're feeling better.

To add to WASA's post, remember that scar tissue will get darker than the rest of your skin when exposed to sun so you'll need to use a high SPF to prevent it.

10 days of a liquid diet, 7-10 days of full fluids, 10-13 days of a soft diet, and an unrestricted diet after 30 days. If you read through this section of the board, you'll get a lot of valuable info.

When I finally did experience hunger, I felt the uncomfortableness of an empty sensation in my stomach in addition to gurgling and a gnawing feeling. The feeling made me HAVE to take time to put something in my stomach.

Weight has always been discussed about and around me. I was a chubby kid and a fat adolescent, and an obese adult. I've lost and regained hundreds of pounds and told two people that I was getting the band. Those same two people know I got a revision to VSG. Until I AM successful (as in 25 pounds from goal), my choice is to make this about me and not the opinions of others. That's how I feel at this stage of the game.